The Elias Trip

Today I bought a new blank book, it'll be my journal for our trip. I've always kept journals, along with words, they are filled with maps, ticket stubs, business cards of places and people i meet, anything that I like and that will fit in there! One time at a bed and breakfast, the hostess was kind enough to write a recipe in my book. I love these personal touches.

And I like to draw in them.

... covering the books with a vintage map, is helpful for 2 purposes, it gives me an instant look at where i am, and it looks great (I think).
...here are some of the sketches in my books. The left one is of some flea market finds in Amsterdam and the one on the right is of Bushmen Rock Art, over five thousand years old!

I love to look through these journals, they take me right back to the moment, sometimes literally..."we are watching a lion sleeping in a tree!"...

I scribble all through the day, notes, sketches, whatever is interesting to me. I keep lists, birds, animals, trees, flowers, there's no order or rules to them. Oh what am I saying? Of course you know my friends, most of you have probably kept journals before blogs! :)

One time when we were in East Africa we had a guide, his name was Elias. He was the best guide we'd ever had. Ever. We were 3 together, he, my husband and myself for over 2 weeks. Elias taught me a lot about the wildlife we saw. He patiently answered every question I had (a lot) consulting his well worn guide book if he didn't know the answer (hardly ever).

He told me he was from a village at the foot of Kilimanjaro and raised in a small village near Moshi. And he had 5 children like me, 3 boys and 2 girls. He called me Mama. And he told me that what I say and what he sees are 2 different things. He didn't believe I had 5 babies. We told Elias "Asante Sana" all the time. Thank you in swahili. He watched me draw in my book. Sometimes he would ask to see. One time when we returned to our camp a group came up to me and asked if I was the one who was the artist. I was embarrassed. I said I keep a journal, nothing special. They said they'd heard an artist was here, it was Elias telling them.

Nearing the end of our safari, Elias said to me:

"Mama, you've drawn every animal in Africa, except for one".

" which one is that Elias?"

" ME!"

My husband said, Well you'll have to draw him. I am not really an artist, I can't draw people I said. But I did. I tried anyway. My picture was of his profile, that's what I saw all the time from the backseat of the land rover. The day finally came when we were to part. He was dropping us off at the border of Kenya and Tanzania. He was becoming more and more quiet. I could feel he was sad. We were sad. Once we were through passport stamping and our new guide was there to meet us, it was time for goodbyes.

Chuck gave Elias his tip and his Carpinteria Lifeguard Hat. I could see how happy that made him. Then it was my turn. I gave him the picture I had drawn and painted and under his likeness (sort of) were the words:

Elias ~ Best Guide in Tanzania

Elias was motionless. He took the drawing and said quietly " I don't have the words to express my thanks" and then he said "Asanta Sana" to me.

Finally I could say these words to him,
Karibu Sana Elias, your welcome.

...please forgive the bad pics of pics, because I am too lazy to scan! this was really fun for me to remember, thank you for sharing with me. And Thank You Elias at the foot of Kilimanjaro.

We'll always remember you.

xxx & Love, Lori